Dogfish Head Raison D’Etre Clone

Based off of Dogfish Head’s Raison D’Etre, this is a big, extreme Belgian ale brewed with raisins and beet sugar to give it an alcohol boost and tons of complex flavor. Milton, Del.’s Dogfish Head suggests pairing this Belgian bad boy with steak, duck, game, wine reduction sauces, ham, or mussels.

Specifications

Directions

To brew this Dogfish Head Raison D’Etre clone, mash grains at 152°F (67°C) for 60 minutes. Mash out at 158°F (70° C) for 10 minutes. Sparge and bring to a boil, adding hops at specified intervals.

Halfway through boil, remove two cups of wort from kettle and soak raisins for 10-20 minutes. Puree in a blender and add back to kettle 10 minutes from the end of the boil, along with the candi sugar. Shut off the boil and add aromatic hops.

Chill to 70°F (21°C), aerate or oxygenate well and pitch ale yeast slurry. Ferment at 70-75°F (21-24°C) until fermentation is complete.

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